Ash tray



1961 J. w. SMITH 2,969,797

ASH TRAY Filed April 17, 1959 I FIG. 5

I N VEN TOR.

United States ASH TRAY John William Smith, Driftwood, Pa.

Filed Apr. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 807,234

1 Claim. (Cl. 131-242) This invention relates to a smokers appliance, and more particularly to an ash tray.

The object of the invention is to provide an ash tray which is adapted to be used for holding cigarettes, cigars, or the like, and wherein a convenient means is provided for disposing of smoked cigarettes or cigars and there is also provided a means for receiving ashes from these members.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ash tray which includes a member that can be manually rotated or moved so that the used cigarettes or butts can be conveniently disposed of in a highly safe and elfective manner.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same.

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the ash tray of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the upper container taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral indicates the smokers appliance or ash tray of the present invention which comprises a horizontally disposed lower base 11, and the numeral 12 indicates a post or standard which extends upwardly from the base 11 and which is secured thereto. The numeral 13 indicates a hollow container which is supported on the upper end of the post 12, and as shown in Figure 4, the upper end of the post 12 is of reduced size as indicated by the numeral 14. The container 13 includes a depending collar 15 which surrounds the reduced portion 14, and a retaining disc 16 serves to maintain the container 13 connected to the post 12, there being a securing element 17 extending through the disc 16 and into engagement with the portion 14.

As shown in the drawings, a closure 18 is mounted on the upper end of the container 13, and the closure 18 includes a wall portion 19 which is horizontally disposed, and the closure 18 further includes an upwardly extending generally circular flange 20. The numeral 21 indicates inclined support members which are provided with lower lips 22, and the members 21 are adapted to be used for supporting cigarettes, cigars or the like.

There is further provided a manually operable latch which is indicated generally by the numeral 27, and the latch 27 includes a movable pin 25 which is mounted for movement into and out of registry or engagement with apertures 24 that are arranged in the lower end of the collar 15. A spring 26 is provided for normally urging the pin 25 to raised position, and a manually operable asters? Patented Jan. 31, 1961 button 23 is provided for use in pushing the pin 25 downwardly, as for example when the container 13 is to be rotated on the post 12.

Depending from the closure 18 and secured thereto or formed integral therewith is a cylindrical sleeve 28. The numeral 29 indicates a circular rim which extends upwardly from the wall portion 19 and which is secured thereto, and rotatably arranged within the rim 29 is a base or block 30. The numeral 31 indicates a manually operable rod which extends through the base 30 and which is fastened thereto, and a nut 32 is arranged in threaded engagement with the lower end of the rod 31, while the handle 33 is arranged on the upper end of the. rod 31. Thus, by manually rotating the rod 31 by means of the handle 33, the base 30 can be rotated to the desired position. The rotating base 30 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart vertically disposed recesses or openings 34. There is provided in the wall portion 19 of the closure 18 an opening 35 which is adapted to selectively register with one of the openings 34 in the base 30, and the numeral 36 indicates a manually movable lever which is mounted for movement into and out of opened or closed relation with respect to the opening 35 so that there is provided a means for controlling the dropping of a cigarette or ashes from the opening 34 down through the opening 35 and into the container 13.

The wall portion 19 of the closure 18 is also provided 2 with an enlarged discharge opening or cutout 37, and the numeral 38 indicates a manually movable bar which includes a widened portion 39 that is mounted for movement into and out of opened or close-d relation with respect to the discharge opening 37. Thus, by manually moving the bar 38, ashes, cigarette butts or the like can be permitted to drop down into the container 13 through the opening 37. The numeral 40 indicates a, scraper which is connected to the base 30 and the scraper 40 can be used for helping to push ashes, or the like from the closure 18 into the vicinity of the opening 37 as for example when the handle 33 is manually turned.

As shown in Figures 1 and 5 for example, there is further provided a horizontally disposed tray 41 which is releasably fastened to the post 12 as for example by means of a screw member or setscrew 42, so that by, loosening the screw 42, the tray 41 can be rotated, and after the tray has been moved or rotated to the desired position, the screw 14 can be tightened in order to maintain the tray immobile in its desired or adjusted position; The tray 41 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart sections 43, and the tray 41 can be used for holding cigarette lighters, cigarettes, or other accessories.

The tray 41 rests on the ring piece 44, and the screw member 42 extends through the ring piece 44 and engages the post 12. The portions 43 of the tray 41 can serve as handgrips for use in rotating the tray 41.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided an ash tray and in use the ash tray is supported on the base 11 as shown in Figure l for example. A plurality of smokers can use the ash tray and when desired, cigarettes, cigars or the like can be supported in the members 21 and the ribs 22 will help retain these lit cigarettes or other members in the inclined support members 21. With the cigarettes or other members being supported in the support members 21, it will be seen that as the cigarette continues to burn, the ashes can drop into the member 18 so that the cigarettes will be safely supported.

Furthermore, a plurality of lit or unlit cigarettes may be positioned in the openings 34 and since there are a plurality of these openings as well as a plurality of the support members 21, it will be seen that the single ash tray can be used by a number of different people at the same time without any commingling of the cigarettes. With cigarettes positioned in the openings 34, it will be seen that the handle 33 can be gripped so as to turn the rod 31, and as the rod. 31 turns the base 39 will rotate also. This base-30 can be turned until a particular opening 34 having a cigarette therein registers with the opening 35 in the wall portion 19. Then, by manually shifting the lever 36, the opening 35 can be exposed so that the cigarette in the particular opening 34 desired can drop down into the container 13. When the container or bowl 13 is to be emptied, the closure 18 can be lifted up off of the container 13, and'then the ash tray can be turned upside down so as to empty the container 13. The lever 36 is pivoted on the rod 31 so that the'lever 36 can be moved'into and out of alignment or registrywith the lower end of one of the holes 34, so that when the lever 34 isundeia hole 34,. a cigarette or the like'can be supported in that particular hole. However, when the lever 36 is moved from under that particular hole, the cigarette, ashes or the like therein can drop downwardly.

By rotating the handle 33, the scraper 41) will rotate since the scraper 40 is affixed to the base 30. As the scraper 40 turns, it will have the eflec't of pushingor' The container 13 can also be rotated on the post 12 by cigarette butts can readily drop down into the container ash tray will safely put out the ignited portion of the cigarette and a plurality of cigarettes or cigars can be handled simultaneously. The stub can be made to disappear into the container 13 and the ash tray can be used on the floor, on a table or adjacent to a bed with a high degree of safety. The tray 41 can be used as a support for cigarettes, matches, a lighter, toothpicks or the like. The device is highly ornamental and attractive and there are no complicated parts to readily get out of order.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

I claim:

In an ash tray mounted upon a post mounted upon a base and having a tray mounted on the post below an ash receptacle, the improvement comprising a closure for said receptacle comprising a dish shaped member by rotation of said handle will cause the base to be rotated pushing down onthe button 27 which causes the pin 25 5 to move below the collar 15 whereby the container 13 canbe rotated to the desired position-andthen when pressure on the button 27 is released the' sprin'g 26 will urge the pin 25 up into locking engagement with. one of the 7 apertures 24. a

The tray 41 can be usedfor holdingor supporting various types of accessories such 'as cigarettes, cigarette lighters or the like. The handle 33 can also be used as a means of lifting the ash tray, as for example when the ash trayjs to be moved from place to place.

The parts-can be made of any suitable material and in diiferent shapesor sizes.

The present inventionwill Help overcome fire hazards in homes, oflices, hotels or thelik'e and the ash tray will save money for the smoker by helping to save his or her cigarettes. Furthermore, there will' be less of a tendency for a person to burn his or her fingers and blackened stained fingers resulting from crushing the fire from cigarettes will be minimized or prevented. The

having a depending peripheral sleeve adapted to rest upon said receptacle and having an upstanding annular rim adapted to confine and center a rotatable base member therewithin, the base having a plurality of apertures extending vertically therethrough adapted to register with similar apertures in said closure, the base member having means supporting a vertical rod having a handle spaced thereabove, the rod also supporting a vertically disposed scraping member positioned within the dish shaped mem-.

ber between the annular-rim and the periphery of the I member, said closure having a relatively large opening adapted to be traversed by said scraping member whereto place the apertures in registration to pass extinguished butts in the base apertures to the receptacle and will also References Cited'in the file .of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,550,394 Ruskay Aug. 18, 1925 1,699,160 Roos Jan. 15, 1929 1,913,452 Locke lune 13, 1933 1,927,656 Grunwald Sept. 19, 1933 2,000,920 Campbell May 14, 1935 2,111,480 Pawlitschek Mar. 15, 1938 2,256,420 Agee Sept. 16, 1941 2,518,849 Agee Aug. 15, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain 1904 mun 

